There is nothing particularly special about hearing negative voices in your head. I suspect that most of us have, at one time or another. Some of us may even hear these voices frequently. And, some of these voices may be so strident as to lead one to disbelieve the credibility of any successes that she or he has experienced. It may surprise you that research suggests that some 70% of adults hear these strident voices at one time or another, and sometimes frequently.

“True wisdom comes from asking the right questions.” Clayton Christensen

… How do I respond?

Compliments are a good thing, right? Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done. Especially from someone whose work you admire. They are a special form of positive feedback. However, many of us find accepting a compliment with grace to be a major challenge. Too often, our first instinct is to dismiss the compliment. For example, the recipient:

Daniela Aivazian is the author of today’s Tuesday Reading. She is an Organizational Effectiveness Specialist in Stanford University’s University IT organization. Her essay first appeared as a leadership program reflection earlier this year. [Dani may be reached at daivaz@stanford.edu.]

… my team is a safe place for interpersonal risk taking

Early this decade Google was focused on building the perfect team. Even earlier, the company had endeavored to capture large quantities of data about employees and how they worked. They knew, for example, how frequently particular people ate together (more productive people had larger networks of dining partners) and were able to identify key traits shared by the very best managers (good communication and avoidance of micromanaging).

… an emotion to be expressed in all seasons

Bill Hogue is author of today’s Tuesday Reading. He is senior clinical professor of information science and executive consultant for enterprise initiatives at the University of South Carolina where he previously served as USC’s first Vice President for Information Technology and CIO, and he is an executive coach in the MOR Leadership Programs.

Today’s Tuesday Reading – The Twelve Days of MOR – is an essay by Christy McCollum, Director of Administration, Washington University Information Technology. [Christy may be reached at cmccollum@wustl.edu.] Her essay first appeared as a program reflection earlier this year.

… You May Want To Give IT a Try

Kristin Wong, a Los Angeles journalist and writer, who contributes to the New York Times and other publications, found herself approached by a stranger at a grocery store asking if she needed help. He had heard her talking to herself out loud, in public. She had grown so comfortable with talking out loud to herself that she didn’t realize what she was doing.